Tag Archives: Oliver Perez

What the Mets got last night from Johan Santana they’ll need tonight from Oliver Perez.

Perez hasn’t faced the Cubs since April 2005, and is 0-3 with a 5.74 ERA in his last five starts against Chicago.

Perez’s career has been one of hot-and-cold, and currently he’s been cool after a strong stretch. Perez (10-7, 4.10 ERA) has one win in his last seven starts. Over his last three starts, Perez has given up 12 earned runs on 18 hits and eight walks spanning 16 1/3 innings.

That said, do you want Perez back next year? I don’t know if he’ll be worth the money he’ll get, but is he worth the angst?

So far, it really doesn’t matter who the Mets put at second base. Neither Argenis Reyes nor Luis Castillo have produced. You know, I felt a sense of comfort with Damion Easley at second base. I’m not saying he’s the answer, but he’s better than either one of them. When the Mets are constructing their bench over the winter, I hope they don’t overlook Easley.

The news is Omar Minaya will be the Mets’ general manager for the next four years. How many of them will be championship seasons? None … if the bullpen isn’t repaired.

Quite simply, the Mets are a better team today than they were when Minaya was hired. There is discontent from the fandom to be sure, but that’s in large part because the expectations remain high after the 2006 disappointment.

So, what are your thoughts on the Minaya Era? By no means are the following lists conclusive, but there to give you a working reference.

Highlights

1. Signing of Carlos Beltran.
2. Signing of Pedro Martinez, which gave the franchise credibility.
3. The trade for John Maine.
4. Acquiring Carlos Delgado.
5. His ability to bolster the bench (Tatis, Easley, Chavez, etc.)
6. The acquisition of Oliver Perez after the Xavier Nady injury in 2006.
7. The trade for Johan Santana.
8. The Lastings Milledge trade.

Lowlights

1. The extension given Luis Castillo.
2. The two years given Guillermo Mota.
3. His reliance on older players such as Pedro Martinez and Moises Alou.
4. The inability to repair the bullpen after last season.
5. The organization’s handling of the Ryan Church injury.
6. The Lastings Milledge trade.
7. The handling of Willie Randolph.
8. Not trading Aaron Heilman when he had the chance.

Someday, Jon Niese might become a viable major league pitcher. That he started such a critical game last night indicates the seriousness of the Mets’ pitching woes and I’ve drawn these conclusions:

Maine: Don't risk him in pen.

1. John Maine is too valuable for them to screw around with in the bullpen considering his health issues. He’s not going to be the difference. They will not win the World Series this year. Shut him down and have him be ready for spring training.

2. Pedro Martinez has had a Hall of Fame career. But, those days are gone. If he comes back next year, it should be as the fifth starter. They should cut ties with Martinez, but I’m entertaining his return because I anticipate Oliver Perez’s departure and Niese not being ready.

3. It is a sad state of affairs Perez will become richer than beyond his wildest dreams for being mediocre. He’s pitched well this year in parts, but his record screams mediocrity.

4. Of course, the records of Maine, Perez, Johan Santana and even Mike Pelfrey are below what they should be because of a bullpen that blew 29 saves. The pen has to be overhauled.

Several things come to mind, the most important being they won the type of game they have lost in the past in Atlanta.
-Nice job by the pen last night. Brian Stokes will probably be unavailable tonight. Huge strikeout by Aaron Heilman. I hope this helps turn him around.

-Oliver Perez did not pitch well, but as was posted last night he minimized the damage to some degree. He needs to do better, but he didn’t implode.

-David Wright will snap out of it. He went the other way last night and that’s a good sign. There seems little doubt he took his offense out on the field with him. That’s unlike him. But, overall, I have a lot of confidence in Wright. He will be fine.

-I’m going to keep saying it: I want Daniel Murphy in the lineup against everybody. Play him until he proves he can’t hit lefties.